Directional horn and method of use

Abstract

A directional horn may include at least one group of a plurality of speakers or audio emitters. The audio emitters may each emit and audio signal at a same frequency. A processor may control a relative phase difference and relative gain difference between each audio signal, based on a determined direction. The directional horn may be positioned on a vehicle. The determined direction may be based on a direction indicated by a driver controlling the vehicle, external environmental factors, vehicle dynamics, or other factors.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tunable, vehicular directional horn, comprising:
 a horn mounted on a vehicle, the horn including at least one cluster of audio emitters, each of the audio emitters configured to emit; at least one audio signal; and 
 a processor configured to:
 define a direction of focus of a horn sound based on sensor data, the horn sound being a composite of the audio signals, 
 define a relative phase difference and a relative gain difference between each the audio signals, in accordance with the direction of focus of the horn sound. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The horn of  claim 1 , wherein each of the audio emitters are configured to emit audio signals at an identical frequency. 
     
     
       3. The horn of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system. 
     
     
       4. The horn of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor data includes visual tracking data. 
     
     
       5. The horn of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data. 
     
     
       6. The horn of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data. 
     
     
       7. The horn of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of audio emitters are configured to emit audio signals at multiple frequencies. 
     
     
       8. A method of controlling a vehicular horn sound comprising:
 defining a direction of focus of the vehicular horn sound from sensor data derived from a sensor, the sound formed from a plurality of audio signals; and 
 using a processor to define a phase and a gain difference between each of the plurality of audio signals in accordance with the direction of focus of the horn sound; and
 emitting audio signals in accordance with the phase difference and the gain difference. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data includes visual tracking data. 
     
     
       13. A vehicular horn system, comprising:
 a plurality of audio emitters mounted on a vehicle, each audio emitter configured to emit audio signals; 
 a processor configured to define a direction of focus of a composite sound formed from the plurality of the audio signals, the direction of focus derived from sensor data; and 
 a processor configured to define a phase difference and a gain difference between each of the audio signals in accordance with the direction of focus of the composite sound. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor data includes data generated from a visual tracking system. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor data includes pressure sensor data. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor data includes vehicular speed data. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor data includes data generated from an object detection system.